


Beach Bois

by Side_effect_of_the_meds



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Beach House, Bonding, Carnival, Day At The Beach, Domestic Fluff, Family Bonding, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Healing, M/M, Wholesome Twinyards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23173018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Side_effect_of_the_meds/pseuds/Side_effect_of_the_meds
Summary: Andrew was very insistent on going to the beach for the summer and Aaron doesn't understand why until he finds Neil alone at the edge of the shore.
Relationships: Kevin Day/Aaron Minyard, Neil Josten & Aaron Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Nicky Hemmick/Erik Klose
Comments: 10
Kudos: 248





	Beach Bois

Aaron woke to the squawking of gulls fighting over something they’d found in the trash. Hauling himself up into a sitting position, he scrubbed the sleep from his eyes. 

“Ronnie,” Kevin whined, his eyes still shut, “stay.” 

“I didn’t even go anywhere,” Aaron grumbled. Kevin threw an arm around Aaron and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Aaron could feel the smug, sleepy smile he wore but he couldn’t be bothered to be a brat. Not when laying in Kevin’s arms felt so good. Maybe a few hours wouldn’t hurt. They lay there in a tangle of limbs until the smell of eggs grew too strong and Aaron’s stomach began to voice its outrage. It took some doing but Aaron managed to bribe Kevin into getting out of bed with more kisses than he deserved.  _ Kevin deserves all the kisses, _ Aaron thought to himself as he dragged his boyfriend down to the kitchen. 

Erik and Nicky called greetings to the pair as they sat down at the table. Plates had already been set out for them. Erik and Nicky were discussing the plans for the day but Aaron couldn’t find it in himself to pay attention. Instead, he found his gaze drawn to the kitchen. At the stove, Neil worked quietly as Andrew sat on the counter stealing ingredients. Taking a spoonful of the eggs he was cooking, Neil offered it to Andrew. To Aaron's surprise, his brother accepted it. The small smile that unfurled across Neil’s face made it apparent that he hadn’t expected it either. 

“Do you want me to feed you too?” Kevin whispered, his breath ghosting the shell of Aaron’s ear. 

“Shut up, Day,” Aaron said as he shoved him away. Kevin laughed and spooned another helping of bacon onto his plate. They spent another hour there at the table. Neither Neil nor Andrew joined them. As the clock struck eleven, Erik stood up and started clearing the table. With some gentle coaxing he managed to convince everyone to go and get ready for the day’s activities. 

They dressed quickly and were out the door an hour and a half later, record time The sun was up, beating down on their poor heads. Neither Andrew nor Aaron were built for the heat. It wasn’t long until the backs of their pale necks had turned a bright red. Suddenly a shadow fell over Aaron. A big floppy hat fell over his head, covering his eyes. 

“Better?” Kevin asked as Aaron pushed the hat off his face. 

“Yeah,” Aaron mumbled. Kevin’s smile grew wide. The sheer brilliance of it outshone the sun framing him.  _ God, I love him,  _ Aaron thought. “Fuck off,” was what he said. Lacing his fingers through Kevin’s he turned away and prayed Kevin would mistake his blush for a sunburn. As he did he caught sight of Neil again. 

Leaning up against the railing, he stared off into the distance. A forlorn look had settled over his face as his shoulders sagged. Despite the day’s heat, he had his arms wrapped tightly around himself as though he was cradling himself. Andrew returned from the ice-cream cart and offered Neil a bite of the monstrosity he’d bought for himself but Neil wasn’t paying attention. Aaron saw his brother open his mouth but was too far away to hear what he said. Whatever he said was enough to bring Neil back but not to pull more than a half-hearted smile from him. Instead, he left Andrew there in favor of walking down the boardwalk towards Erik and Nicky.

The six of them spent the remainder of the day out on the pier. A carnival was set up at the edge. Upon learning that neither Kevin nor Neil had ever been to an amusement park, Nicky frog-marched the pair up to the ticket booth. Purchasing all day passes, he sat them all down to figure out a game plan. 

“So we’ll start with the merry-go-round, then the drop, next the Pharaoh’s fury, and then….” and on and on Nicky went. “Alright, so you’ll take them right, Erik?” 

“Sure but what about the twins?” he asked. 

“They’re coming with me.” Andrew let his head fall onto the table with a loud thud. “Don’t be so dramatic, Andrew,” Nicky chided. “Come on, it’s going to be fun!” Kevin kissed Aaron goodbye before tugging Neil out of his seat. He walked quietly beside Kevin as Erik started up a conversation. Muttering a steady stream of curses, Andrew got up and plodded off after Nicky. 

“It won’t be that bad,” Aaron offered as he caught up to his brother. Andrew cast him a dark look that begged to differ. Aaron huffed a sigh. It was going to be a long day. 

It was. No matter what ride Nicky took them too, Andrew refused to get on. What his brother’s problem was, Aaron didn’t know but he was determined not to let his sour mood put a damper on Nicky’s enthusiasm. Sure, Nicky’s chipper attitude could be annoying, but Aaron knew it was an act. There was far more to Nicky than met the eye.

Aaron had always known of Luther and Maria’s homophobia but he’d never known the depths of the despair that Nicky had faced living with them until… Aaron shut his eyes against the swell of emotions. Memories of broken glass and blood stained bed sheets and Andrew’s manic laughter filled his head. The weight of a hand on the back of his neck shocked Aaron back to the present. A pair of hard brown eyes were locked on him. In them a flicker of fear and spark of anger glinted. Andrew cocked a brow in a silent question. Aaron shook his head and he felt the weight of his brother’s hand drop away. 

“Oh my god!” Nicky shrieked. “There’s no line for the drop! Let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go,” he cried as he snagged Aaron’s wrist and pulled him along. As they made it to the ride, Nicky let go. Aaron fell back a little ways. 

“One ride,” he said. 

“No,” Andrew said. Aaron turned to glare at him but Andrew wasn’t looking at him. Instead, his eyes were watching a point in the sky, the seats of the ride as they ascended up into the clouds. 

“Wait. Are you-”

“Shut up,” Andrew snarled. Aaron clamped his mouth shut then. They watched as the riders made it to the top. The seats hung there for a few seconds, prolonging the suspense. And then, it fell. Screams filled the air, already a buzz with the cheers of other fairgoers. The ride stopped midway in it’s descent before slowly rising once more. “One ride?” Andrew’s voice was so soft that Aaron almost missed it. Almost. 

“Just one,” he replied. A few minutes later, the ride slowly descended and the passengers disembarked, laughing at themselves and one another. 

“Nicky,” Aaron called. He jogged up behind his cousin and tugged him down. “Let us go alone.” Nicky’s brows furrowed in confusion until he saw Andrew step past the barrier. His eyes went wide and a massive smile split his face. 

“Not a word, Nicholas,” Andrew hissed as he made his way to the middle seat. Strapping himself carefully into place, he worked his jaw. Aaron took the seat beside him. Belted into place, they pulled the bar down over their shoulders. Out of the corner of his eye, Aaron caught sight of his brother’s leg. bouncing like mad. 

“Hey-”

“Don’t.” Again, Aaron fell silent at his brother’s command. Behind their heads, the ride clicked and jostled. Instantly, Andrew’s hands were clutching the fabric of Aaron’s shorts. “FuckFuckFuckFuckFuck,” he cursed as the ride began its ascent. Up, up, up the ride went alongside Andrew’s anxiety levels. His grip on Aaron’s shorts tightened with every click of the ride until his knuckles were white. 

“Andrew,” Aaron called. His brother whipped around to look at him. His eyes were wild, practically feral. Instinctively, Aaron reached out and grabbed the back of his brother’s neck. The effect it had was astonishing. Almost immediately, Andrew’s eyes cleared, the sea of terror parting enough to show that some semblance of humanity remained behind in his brother. “Breathe.” Andrew sucked in a deep breath and let it back out slowly. “Hold my hand, yes or no?” 

“Yes,” Andrew hissed through his teeth. With seemingly a great deal of effort, he uncurled his fist from the material of Aaron’s shorts. Dropping his hand from his brother’s neck, Aaron laced his fingers through his brother’s. The pair of them pressed back into their seats, their gazes locked on each other as the ride stopped at the top. “Aaron?” The slight wobble in Andrew’s voice was like a punch to the gut. In the endless seconds they sat there at the top of the drop, Aaron vowed he’d never do anything like this to his brother ever again. 

And then, they fell. A scream tore from Aaron as they plummeted. Andrew’s eyes were screwed shut, his face twisted in pain. Down, down, down they went. The ride halted abruptly just beneath the midway point but their stomachs kept going down. As their seats rocketed up Aaron’s screams turned from terror to joy. He laughed hysterically as they shot back up. 

“Drew, you’re missing it,” he gasped between fits of laughter. He watched as Andrew pried his eyes back open. His grip on Aaron’s hand tightened but Aaron didn’t mind the circulation being cut off from his hand. The ride dropped them once more and, this time, Andrew kept his eyes open. 

A few minutes later the ride began its slow descent back to Earth. Aaron’s laughter continued until his feet touched the ground. 

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked, wiping the tears from his eyes. 

“That was horrible. What kind of person enjoys that?” Andrew asked as he lifted the bar off their chests. 

“People who aren’t absolute losers,” Aaron replied. Undoing his harness, Andrew got out of his seat and nearly face planted. Another bout of laughter overtook Aaron as he watched his brother struggle to stand. The adrenaline had faded from his body and left his legs too weak to hold him up. It lasted until Aaron tried to get out of his own seat with similar results

“Who’s the loser now?” Andrew shot back but Aaron couldn’t be bothered by the insult. Instead, he was all too focused on the half-smile his brother now wore. 

It wasn’t long before the sun started to set. Andrew, for his part, did go on a few other rides. He’d willingly climbed into the spinning teacups and deliberately spun them too fast. Stepping off the ride, he stumbled over to the closest trashcan and promptly emptied his guts into it. Nicky wasn’t far behind him.

They met up with Erik and the others at the entrance as the last of the sun’s rays began to fade. Neil seemed to be in better spirits after a day at the carnival but it didn’t last long. The second his eyes fell upon the sandy shores of the beach, his smile came crashing down. What it was about the beach that triggered such a change in mood, Aaron didn’t know and, frankly, it wasn’t his business. Bottling up his curiosity, Aaron let Kevin regale him with stories of incompetent ride operators and sleezy carnies with rigged games. 

They beelined for a little restaurant at the edge of the boardwalk. Seated on the open-air balcony, the view of the moonlit ocean was amazing. Neil sat with his back to the view between Erik and Nicky. Despite being the closest to it, there was no way he could hear the lapping of waves from where he sat. Tipsy from their drinks, the group made their way back to the beach house an hour or so later. 

“Les go, Aaron,” Kevin slurred, tugging him towards the bedroom. Aaron followed him and helped Kevin undress. They fell into bed trading drunken kisses before falling asleep in one another’s arms. That night, Aaron dreamt that he was back on the ride only this time, it wasn’t him screaming. It was Andrew. Tears rushed down his face in rivers as he screamed and laughed. Blood flowed from a cut in his head, flooding his eyes and mixing with his tears. Pieces of glass were still embedded in the flesh there. 

Aaron woke with a start, panting as sweat poured down his face. Kevin had moved to his own side of the bed in his sleep. Despite the amount of thrashing and noise that had undoubtedly accompanied Aaron’s abrupt awakening, he was still asleep. Of course he was. Slipping out from beneath the covers, Aaron made his way to the bathroom. He flicked the lights on after he’d closed the door and saw himself in the mirror. It wasn’t really him though. Once more, he saw the terror-filled eyes of his brother as they hung there, miles above the ground. Splashing water on his face, Aaron kept his gaze off the mirror before hurrying back out. Bypassing the bed, he grabbed a jacket and headed for the door. Shuffling across the sand in the pale moonlight, Aaron headed towards a figure at the edge of the water. 

“What are you doing out here?” he asked. 

“Needed some space,” Neil replied. “You?”

“Needed some air.” The two of them lapsed into silence. This was how it always was: Aaron tried to say something and Neil put in as little effort into responding as he could. To be fair, that was exactly how Aaron had treated Neil since the day they’d met. Not for the first time, Aaron kicked himself mentally for his lack of foresight. There were a lot of things Aaron wanted to say to Neil.  _ Fuck you for being closer to my brother than I am, _ was definitely pretty high on the list.  _ How’d you do it? What makes you so special? _ were too.  _ Thank you,  _ was still number one. 

“My mom died on a beach.” All those thoughts flew out the window. The pieces of the puzzle slowly clicked into place: Neil’s silence, his lack of attention, Andrew’s insistence on going to the beach for the summer.  _ This is it, Aaron. He’s giving you a chance. Don’t you dare fuck it up. _

“That sucks,” Aaron said.

“Yeah, it was pretty shit.” 

“How’d she die?” 

“My dad stabbed her.” And, in that moment, Aaron wished that he had been the one that Nathan had stabbed. Honestly, there was very little he wouldn’t do to get out of this conversation. And then, God took pity upon Aaron’s wretched and gave him one last chance. “I know she was a bad person. She beat me and made me hurt in ways that none ever should but...”

“But she was your mom. She was all you’d ever had,” Aaron whispered. 

“I tried to tell him but he just doesn’t understand. It’s not his fault and I know he’s trying to help” Neil insisted. “But, sometimes, he just makes things worse. Sometimes it’s just so hard.” Neil’s voice broke, shattering like a mirror and, in every fragment, Aaron saw himself. 

When Tilda died, Aaron hadn’t shed a tear, not for her at least. Instead, he’d lain in his brother’s hospital bed, wailing. Aaron had all but given up his faith by then, but he’d held his brother’s nearly empty body close and prayed. “Don’t take him away. Please, please, please, God. I can’t go on all alone. Please, let him stay.” And He’d heard him. Andrew had made a full recovery and was up and walking a few days later. But, at the time, Aaron had not known whether God had returned his brother to him as a gesture of kindness or an act of cruelty. 

To save Aaron, Andrew had killed the only family Aaron had ever known. All that he’d been left with was a cold and distant uncle who saw him as a mark of his mother’s failure, a cousin who pretended his problems away, and an empty husk of a human being for an older brother. Andrew’s attempt to fix Aaron had only broken him even more. 

Being here on this beach was hurting Neil and potentially damaging his relationship with Andrew. Anyone who knew Neil knew that he was only ever truly at home on the court or by Andrew’s side. No one on earth could possibly fathom what it took to be one of the monsters, to stand by Andrew Minyard. Even to them, there were times when Andrew was all vice with no discernible virtue. Aaron had long since realized that Neil loved Andrew with all his heart; more than Kevin, or Nicky, or even Aaron did. For Andrew, the man he trusted to protect him, to drag him out to the place where Neil had lost his only family… It couldn’t be easy. Nothing with Andrew ever but this was pushing it too far. 

Tears tracked slowly down Aaron’s own face as he put an arm around Neil and drew him close. Who they were for, Aaron didn’t know. Maybe they were for Neil, a man who’d never been shown an ounce of love in his life, and yet, was so full of it. Maybe they were for Andrew, a man whose love was just as wicked and sharp as the knives beneath his bands. Maybe they were for himself, a man who still hadn’t learned how to love at all. 

They sat there in silence, letting the salt of their tears mix with the briny ocean water. By the time Neil’s breathing had evened out, Aaron’s tears had been spent. Scooping up a bit of water, he cleaned the tear stains from his face, careful to avoid his eyes. He waited for Neil to do the same before they walked back to the beach house together in silence. Light spilled out onto the porch from the open door. Entering, they found Andrew waiting for them in the living room. 

“Go to bed, Neil,” Aaron said, his voice dangerously quiet. “Andrew and I need a minute.” Neil cast a worried look at Andrew, who only motioned for him to go. Aaron waited until he heard the snick of the bedroom door closing before turning on his heel. He walked back out, knowing his brother would follow. Making his way down the stairs and out onto the beach, Aaron made sure to put a good deal of distance between himself and the house. He didn’t want to accidentally wake the others. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Aaron stared out at the water. There was no point looking at Andrew; he’d only be wearing his blank facade. “I hate Neil Josten.”

“You’ve made this abundantly clear,” Andrew drawled. 

“Do me a favor and shut up for a few minutes. You didn’t seem to have a problem doing that before,” Aaron snapped. Why he turned to look at his brother, Aaron didn’t know but, in doing, so he caught the flash of surprise that passed over Andrew’s face at his outburst. Andrew’s mouth clamped shut. Taking a shaky breath, Aaron tried to see past the red. “You’re hurting him. Being here is hurting him. Have you ever seen him cry?” 

“Neil doesn’t cry.”

“What did you think he was doing out here by himself?” Aaron watched as his brother worked his jaw. “You are more than the knives in your bands. We don’t just keep you around for protection. We drove all the way out here because you said you wanted to go to the beach. You **wanted** something. Nicky gave up his plans for Germany to be with you. Erik flew all the way out here. Kevin was going to spend the summer with Wymack at the National Court. Kevin gave up Exy for you! We’re here because we wanted to support you. Andrew, we’re here because we love you. And no one here loves you more than Neil does.” 

“Aaron-”

“Don’t you ‘Aaron’ me!” he countered. 

“I know!” Andrew roared. Aaron’s fury faded a fraction. “Do you think I can’t see what it's doing to him? Do you really think I’m that stupid?”  _ Yes. _ “He needs time, Aaron. He needs new memories. Today, he spent the whole day running around with Kevin, enjoying something other than Exy. Today, you spoke to him without picking a fight. Do you think I didn’t see you holding him? The next time he thinks of the beach, he’ll still think of her but he’ll think of us too.” The red tint around Aaron’s vision faded enough to see the truth in his brother’s words. As his anger subsided, Aaron’s thoughts drifted back to the months after the crash. 

“When you drove me across town to see The Wallows…”

“I knew you were afraid to get in a car with me. I wanted to show you that you were safe, that I wouldn’t hurt you.” There were tears pouring down Aaron’s face now, clouding his vision. He heard the sound of sand hissing beneath his brother’s feet as he closed the distance between them. “Yes or no?” 

“Yes,” Aaron whispered. He felt Andrew’s arms wrap around him and he let himself sag against the solid weight of his brother. Clinging to the material of his brother’s t-shirt, Aaron’s body poured out more tears than he’d thought was humanly possible. Four years ago, Aaron had wondered if God had been playing a cruel trick on him when Andrew recovered from the crash. Now he knew it was the greatest act of kindness that anyone could have given him. 

  
  



End file.
